When a job raises red flags immediately, should workers cut and run?

[Jilly_in_VA]

Nicole noticed a red flag within hours of starting her new job at a Miami-based boutique PR firm in 2022. The CEO didn’t bother introducing her to clients on her first-ever company Zoom call; he dominated the conversation, leaving no room for other employees to speak. Nicole tried to carry on but was shocked on her second day when the CEO swore at a colleague in the middle of a team meeting.

On day three, Nicole worked up the courage to ask that colleague if outbursts like that were normal. “She said, ‘That’s just how he is’,” recalls Nicole, who is in her mid-20s. “Everyone’s scared of him.”

On her fourth day, Nicole wrote her resignation letter. She was gone by the end of the week and never looked back.

At a time when many people are reassessing their personal and professional priorities, and swaths of workers still hold power in the labour market, some people are choosing to cut and run – leaving jobs that they’re unhappy in, after mere weeks or even days in the role.

There are any number of reasons people ditch jobs after such a short period of time: the role was oversold; the leadership was micromanaging; the culture was toxic; or the company's values seemed suspect. In some cases, say experts, these swift departures are due to reckless, fickle decisions. But other times, they're the result of carefully considered choices – and the right options for workers.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230808-when-a-job-raises-red-flags-immediately-should-workers-cut-and-run

I almost wish I'd quit my last one like that. My manager was SO toxic. I could have gone back on the road or found another quickly enough, nurses being always in demand.

[RKP5637]

1. When places started getting ugly, I put my resume on the street and left. n/t

[XanaDUer2]

2. I finally quit mine

Made me a wreck

[erronis]

3. It's always been this way. Perhaps the difference is that we can research

where we're looking at going a bit more.

I've looked at (not used) glassdoor.com as a resource. Of course, linkedin, perhaps indeed.

Still the crap posted by HR (perhaps boilerplate/robots) to describe positions and requirements is usually laughable.

I spent 20+ years freelancing before/after the 1990s dotcom bubble and saw incredible amount of falsehoods posted by employers. Of course our resumes are not always spot on...

[BlueIn_W_Pa]

4. Always been said

people leave first and foremost because of management.

[Backseat Driver]

5. My hired replacement went to lunch on Day 1 and never came back, LOL!

She'd had intros around the office and we'd discussed available office equipment, locations and use. I took a lot of ribbing about scaring the poor lady.

[Skittles]

6. regardless of the reason for leaving

it is very poor form indeed to just cut and run with no notice, just inexcusable

[roamer65]

9. Depends on the circumstances.

If I were offered a new job that paid nearly double the money, but had to give same day notice, I would do it in a heartbeat. These places walk us out with no notice, so what comes around goes around.

That was my advice to a friend 10+ plus years ago in the above mentioned situation and he has done very well since.

[Skittles]

10. I wouldn't fuck my coworkers like that

nope

and I have never heard of same day notice - wouldn't a company think if you did that once you could do it again?

[RainCaster]

7. I walked out just before the 2 week Christmas shutdown

Yes, it was a two week notice. They had been abusing me & my staff for too long. I did it directly to my boss's Sr. VP, a real pendejo. Just as he was winding up to deliver another scolding to us for our insubordination & incompetence. It took the wind out of his sails.

[NowISeetheLight]

8. Toxic Company but a Good Boss

When I lived in Arizona I worked for a for-profit hospital system. They had about 16 hospitals in four states. The company itself sucked. They paid OK but out corporate boss was a greedy weasel. The only thing that kept me there was my Director in my department. I was a manager who reported to her. She was the best boss I've ever had.

I finally left for a great job opportunity. I really hated leaving the people there, just not the company. They were later bought out by a bigger for-profit. My old boss told me it was even worse (hard to imagine). She finally retired.

We both were definitely there for the money and the people. It sure wasn't out of corporate loyalty.